Roth

Study Skills

How To Survey Your Textbook

Survey each textbook as soon as possible—at least before the first textbook assignment, even better before the course begins. Here’s what to do:

First, grab your textbook and look for the following:

Ø Preface—In the front of the book. This part often goes by other names such as “to The Student,” “About this Book,” “How to Use this Book,” etc.

Ø Table of Contents—The book’s formal outline.

Ø The Glossary—The book’s dictionary—may be in the back or in each chapter.

Ø The Index—In the back—An alphabetical listing of the topics in the book and the pages on which you can find them.

Ø Appendix—A supplemental section or short chapter in the back of the book that provides additional help and information. You may find more than one—then we say “appendices.”

Ø Bibliography--In the back or at the end of each chapter. Lists the sources the author used in creating the book. You can use these sources, too, for additional information and research.

Next, pick an interior chapter to continue the survey.

First, turn to the beginning of the chapter and look for the following:

ü Objectives

ü Goals

ü Pre-tests

ü Introduction

ü An Outline

ü Questions

Next, turn to the end of the chapter and look for the following:

ü Summary

ü Review Questions

ü Study Questions

ü Tests and Quizzes

ü Skill Statements

Finally, page through the sample chapter and do this:

_____Find the meaning of the fonts the chapter uses.

A font is a particular style of type. You need to discover which font indicates which size or kind of idea. For example, what font is used for chapter names?, what font is used for sub-chapter names?, for pieces of the sub-chapter?, for key terms? You need to know this.

Remember, if you do not understand what the different fonts represent and why they change throughout the chapter, you will likely learn the right material in the wrong structure or organization. If this happens, you can probably say good-bye to that ‘A’ or ‘B’ you were hoping for.

An idea: For each text, fill in a simple outline with the font that corresponds to the idea’s size. Here is a sample outline of fonts already filled in:

I. Chapter titles-- Large, bold black type

A. Large pieces of chapter--Smaller bold green type

1. Pieces of sub-chapter pieces--Small brown type

a. Pieces of those pieces--Really small blue type

Important Note: Be sure to find the font used for key terms.

Any other important fonts? Figure out what they represent.

Want to survey a textbook? Grab a copy of the “Surveying A Textbook—The Form” and get going.